St. Petersburg & The Baltics Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia & Russia
Three neighboring countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - known as the Baltics, share a common history and seacoast but are all unique. All three Baltic capitals have UNESCO designations. We also explore Russia’s most impressive and historic city, St. Petersburg. Baltic highlights include Lithuania’s castle on an island, Latvia’s guild houses, Estonia’s well-preserved medieval Old Town, sand dunes on the Curonian Spit, national parks, and Estonian islands in the Baltic Sea are just a sample of what to expect on our Baltic adventure. In the 14th century, Lithuania was the largest country in Europe. Medieval castles are evidence of its glorious yet turbulent past. We begin our adventure in its capital and largest city, Vilnius (UNESCO). Other stops include the old capitals of Trakai and Kaunas. We visit the unique and sacred Hill of Crosses before exploring the Curonian Spit (UNESCO), a site full of picturesque sand dunes, fishermen’s villages and long beaches. Latvia is a country of many contrasts; from the 13th century 120
capital Riga (UNESCO) - once the trading center of the Hanseatic League - filled with medieval buildings and Art Nouveau architecture; to the medieval castles of Turaida and Sigulda in Gauja National Park; to small historic villages. In southern Latvia, we visit Rundale Palace to see one of the most beautiful examples of Baroque architecture in the Baltics - the palace was built in the 18th century as a summer residence for a Duke of Courland and has a beautiful French garden. In Estonia, we visit the Islands of Saaremaa and Muhu, with their medieval villages and coastal towns. We visit the capital of Tallinn (UNESCO) with its well-preserved medieval Old Town as well as many medieval castles throughout the country. We visit Narva castle, situated directly across the river to the Russian fortress at Ivangorod. We continue our tour with 4 nights in beautiful St. Petersburg, Russia where we will take in the history of the Peter and Paul Fortress, visit both the famed Hermitage and Faberge Museums, and enjoy the opulence of both the Peterhof and Catherine Palaces.
